Strainer cleaning device



Aug. 22, 1939. I c. c. FARMER 2,170,032

I STRAINER CLEANING DEVICE Filed July 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (OINVENTOR CLYDE c. FAHMEH ATTORNEY -Aug. 22, 1939. c. c. FAR 'MER2,170,082

- STRAINER CLEANING DEVICE Filed July 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet-Z CLYDE C;FARMER ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1939 ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,170,082 STRAIN ER CLEANING DEVICE Clyde 0. Farmer, Pittsburgh, Pa.,assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application July 13', 1935, Serial No.31,293

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and a device for cleaning fluidstrainers and more particularly to means for cleaning cartridge typestrainers;

The device and method provided by this invention is an improvement overthat shown and claimed in an application of W. B. Kirk, Serial No.29,634, filed July 3,1935, for Strainer cleanlug-devices.

My invention has application to cleaning cartridge type curled hairstrainers, such as those the line 44 of Fig. 3,

commonly used in the brake pipe ports of brake valve devices on fluidpressure brake equipment, and which comprise an annular or cylindricalbody of straining 'materialthrough which the fluid to be strained passesradially.

Such strainers prolong the life of brake valve devices by keeping dustand dirt from entering the various chambers and coming in contact withthe wearing surfaces thereof, and these strainers require cleaning atintervals in order to increase their length of useful service.

It is an object of this invention to providean' efiicient, economical,and easily operable cleaning device for removing dust particles andother foreign matter 'from' strainers of the cartridge type in a minimumof time to thus recondition the strainer for continued service.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a strainer cleaningdevice that is capable of removing grease and oil, and extremely finedust particles, from the strainer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, in a strainercleaning device-of the character indicated; means for passing. ameasured quantity of grease'solvent through the strainer to removegrease and'oil from the'strainer dur-- ing the cleaning operation.

Another object of the invention is to'p'rovide an improved method forcleaning cartridge type air strainers, and to also provide apparatus forcarryingout this method.

Other advantageaand objects of the invention will appear from thefollowing description of one P red embodiment of the invention whenreadwith reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is anelevational view of one preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a device'illustrated in Fig. 1, j I T I.

Fig. 3is a horizontal sectional view' taken along the line 3-3 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along Fig. 5 is a verticalsectional view of a detail of the device taken along the line 5-5 ofFig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a side view of a cartridge type curled 5 hair strainer adaptedto be cleaned in the strainer cleaning device illustrated in Figs. 1 to6, with the end portion shown in section, and

Fig. 8 is an end view of the strainer shown in Fig. '7.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and-3thereof, the strainer cleaning device'comprises a casing I providing acleaning chamber 2 therein for accommodating cartridge 'type strainer l0that may be revolv- 15 a ly'mounted on an air blast pipe 3 extendingcentrally of the chamber 2. The pipe 3 provides a bearing for thestrainer l0 and has a slot 4 extending longitudinally the entire lengththereof along its under side, and is supplied with fluid- 20 underpressure through a port 5 and a pipe and passage 6. The passage 6 alsocommunicates with a chamber 1 within the casing I and ex-. tending alongthe side ofthe cleaning chamber 2 and between which and the cleaningchamber 2 a nozzle member 8 (see Figs. 3 and -6) is adjustablypositioned by a stud 9, the nozzle memher 8 being semi-cylindrical inshape and having a flat portion to provide a groove H for efi'ectingthetangential ejectment of a stream of air from the chamber 1 againstthe periphery of the strainer H). A port and pipe l2 lead downwardlyfrom the cleaning chamber 2. through which the dust ladenedair or fluidis ejected from the cleaning device. a l I Adoor l3 provides aclosurefor the chamber 2 and is supported by lugs-extending from the body ofthe door for mounting it on lugs l6, extending from thebody portion ofthe casing, by means of the hinge pin [5. A door handle I! is providedand is mounted on a pivot pin l8 that is carried by a bracket portion l9extending outwardly from the body of the doorl3. The handle I1 isprovided at its inner end with a pin 2| that is adapted to engage withinslots 22 in the brackets 23 extending outwardly fromqthe body of thecasing l to latchsthe door in its closed position. In order'to providefor the introduction of a measured quantity of agrease solvent solutioninto the axial air blast pipe 3 to dissolve grease and oil containedwithin the strainer [0, and to remove talcum fine dust therefrom, ametering pump "25 is provided, asshown in section in Fig. 4. A sleeve 26extends downwardly into a. V

suitable cavity 32 in the casing structure I to pro- .vide a pumpchamber 21 containing a pump plunger 28 positioned within the sleeve 26and. extending upwardly therefrom out of the casing structure. Ascrew-threaded sleeve nut 29 is provided above the upper end of theplunger 28 which serves as a guide therefor and to hold the packing 3|in place.

The pump chamber 21 is in communication with a tank (Fig. 1) from whicha grease solvent solution is supplied to the pump chamber 21 throughpipe and passage 34 and the check valve device 33. The solvent solutionis supplied by the pump through a check valve device 36 to the axial airblast pipe 3 to be discharged through the longitudinal slot 4 into thestrainer structure.

The check valve device 33 includes, within a portion of the casingstructure I, .a valve chamber 31 that is in communication through pas-20 sage 38 with the cavity 32 surrounding the lower The valve chamber 31conprovided within the ball valve chamber 31, the

' lower end of which engages the ball valve 39 and the upper end ofwhich terminates within a recess in a cap nut 43 that is screw-threadedwithin a bore 44 in the casing structure.

The check valve device 36 comprises a valve chamber 45, that is inconstant open communication through a passage 46 with the interior of Athe air blast pipe 3, and which contains a ball valve 41 that is'adaptedto engage a valve seat 5 48 to close communication between the chamberand the pump chamber 21 through passage 49. A spring 5| is providedwithin the ball valve chamber 45, the lower end of which engages theball valve 41 and the upper end of which is po-- 4 sitioned within arecess in the cap nut 52 that is screw-threaded within a bore 53 in thecasing structure.

The upper end of the pump plunger 28 terminates in a flattened portion6| to which means 45 are attached for operating the plunger, said meanscomprising connecting links 62 on opposite sides of the portion 6| thatare pivotally connected thereto by a .pin 63, while the lower fiends ofthe links are connected to the bifurcated end 64 of a bell crank lever65 by means of the pins 66 and 61. The lever 65 is pivotally mounted ona pin 68 carried by a bracket 69 extending upwardly from the casingportion. The upper end of the lever 65 serves as a handle 1| and 55 thelower end is provided with a stop member 12 for engaging the bracketportion to limit the upward movement of the pump plunger 28.

The strainer deviceillustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is tubular in form andcomprises an inner tubu- 0 lar retaining member 15 preferably formed ofwire mesh having outwardly directed end lugs 16, and a similar outertubular retainer 11 which surrounds and is spaced from the innerretainer 15 and has inwardly directed end lugs 18, there 5 being asubstantial distance between the inner and outer lugs 18 and 16.

The blank of wire mesh from which the retaining members 15 and 11 areformed is made of a width equal to the length of the finished strainer-7 device, the strands of the mesh which extend in made of stel andgalvanized.

Surrounding the inner retainer 15 is a sleeve 80.0f porous materialwhich, in the present embodiment of the invention, is of relatively thinfelt so as not to ofier any substantial resistance to the flow of fluidtherethrough. The space between the felt sleeve and the outer tubularretainer 11 is packed with a suitable straining material, such as curledhair 19, which is confined at the ends of the strainer by means ofrelatively thick washers 8| and 82, made preferably of felt, and whichare retained in position by the lugs 16 and 18.

The washers BI and 82 are curved in cross-section, each having formedtherein an annular groove indicated at 83 in Fig. '7 of the drawings.The grooves 83 face the outer ends of the strainer, and when thestrainer is in service in a brake valve device, annular flanges or ribson the valve device body and on a securing nut extend into these groovesto secure the strainer in position.

The operation of the strainer cleaning device is as follows: Thestrainer ID to be cleaned is positioned within the cleaning chamber 2 asshown in Fig. 3, the air blast pipe 3 extending axially through thecentral opening in the annular or tubular strainer I9. Fluid underpressure, such as air, is supplied from a suitable reservoir 85controlled by a valve 86 (see Fig. 2) through pipe 6, and into the airblast pipe 3 through port 5. From the air blast pipe 3 such fluid underpressure is ejected through the longitudinal slot 4 at a high rate ofspeed.

Fluid under pressure also flows from the pipe and passage 6 to thelongitudinal chamber 1 that extends along one side of the cleaningchamber 2, and is ejected therefrom tangentially against the strainermat a high rate of speed through the narrow slot or nozzle provided bythe flattened portion of the nozzle member 8, thus causing the strainerIII to revolve at a rapid rate aboutthe central air blast pipe 3.

While the strainer I0 is thus revolving at high speed the handle portion1| of the lever 65 for operating the pump plunger 28 is moved toward theright, as viewed in Fig. 1, to raise the pump plunger, and is thenforced toward the left, as

the plunger 28 this fluid is forced through'passage 49 past the checkvalve 41, which is forced upwardly from its seat against the force ofthe spring 5|, through the passage 46 into the air blast pipe 3 (seeFig. 5). Since the grease solvent solution is supplied to the air blastpipe 3, while fluid under pressure, such as air is being supplied fromthe tank 85 and ejected through the longitudinal slot 4 under highpressure, such grease solvent solution is likewise forced rapidlythrough the slot 4 by the ejected stream of air under pressure and isforced through the strainer In, which is revolving at a rapid rate dueto the stream of air or similar fluid under pressure that is directedtangentially against the strainer from the chamber 1 through the slotThe combined force of the air under pressure passing radially outwardlyfrom the air blast pipe 3 through the strainer In, the grease solventsolution similarly passing radially outwardly from the pipe 3 throughthe strainer l6, the stream of air from the chamber 1 impinging tangenforce due to the rapid rotation of the strainer all combine to ejectdust and dirt from the strainer and to wash the strainer clean. The

grease solvent solution 1 passing through I the strainer carries with itgrease and oil that might not be forcedtherefrom -by the air alone,andalso removes talcum fine dust which is diflicult to remove by thecombined air blast and centrifugal forces. The strainer i0 is revolvedat high speed for a short time after the grease solvent solution haspassed from the air blast pipe 3, thus substantially drying thestrainer.

When the strainer is cleaned, the handle of the valve 86 is turned tothe closed position, thereby cutting off thesupply :of fluid underpressure to the air blast pipe 3 and to the chamber 1. The

door handle 11 is then turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFigs. 2 and 3 01' the drawings, thereby moving the pin 2| out of theslots 22 in the brackets 23,.rand permitting the door 13 to be swung tothe open position. When the door "has been opened, the strainer l0 maybe easily removed from the airblast pipe 3, while another strainer Illto be cleaned may be mounted on the air blast pipe 3. The door I3 isthen swung to the closed position, while the handle I1 is turned in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings,thereby causing the pin 2i to engage the walls of the slots 22 in thebrackets 23 to draw the door l3 tightly against the casing land tomaintain the door in the closed position, and the cycle of operationdescribed in detail above is repeated.

While I have illustrated and described onepreferred embodiment of myinvention it will be apparent that many modifications thereof may bemade within th'e'spirit of my invention and I do not wish to be limitedotherwise than by the scope of the appended claims.

Having now. described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: l

1. The method of cleaning an annular strainer which consists in rotatingthe strainer at high speed and in simultaneously passing a gaseousstream of fluid under pressure together with a grease solvent solutionradially outwardly there-- through, and in thereafter continuing therotation of the strainer and the passage only of the gaseous stream offluid under pressure therethrough to dry the strainer.

2. The method of cleaning an annular strainer which consists in rotatingthe strainer at high speed by the force of a stream of gaseous fluidunder pressure directed substantially tangentially thereagainst and insimultaneously passing gaseous fluid under pressure together. with agrease solvent solution'radially outwardly therethrough, and inthereafter continuing the rotationof the strainer and the passage onlyof gaseous fluid under'pressure therethrough until the strainer issubstantially dry. I J

3. In a strainer cleaning device, in combination, a casing for receivingan annular strainer and provided with an air blast'pipe extendingcentrally of said strainer, means for ejecting into said air blast pipea measured quantity of a grease solvent solution, said pipe having a1ongitudinal slot therein for directing a stream of fluid under pressureand said grease solvent solution radially through said strainer, and alongitudinal slot 'in'the side of said casing for directing a stream ofair tangentially of said strainer for cleaning said strainer and forrapidly spin.- ning said strainer about said air blast pipe.

4. In a strainer cleaning device, in combination, a casing for receivingan annular strainer andprovided with an air blast pipe extendingcentrally of said strainer, means comprising a manually operated pumpfor effecting the supply of a measured quantity of a grease solventsolution into said air blast pipe, means for effecting the supply of airunderpressure to said air blast pipe, a nozzle outlet openingin said airblast pipe for directing a stream of said grease solvent solution and ofsaid air under pressure radially outwardly through said strainer, and aing a conduit extending into said chamber, said conduit being adapted toextend within the central .opening in an annular strainer and torotatably support the strainer, said conduit having an opening throughthe wall thereof through which fluid supplied to the passage therein mayflow to the central opening in a strainer mounted thereon and thenceradially outwardly through said strainer, a wall of said chamber havingan orifice therein arrangedzto direct a stream of fluid under pressuretangentially of a strainer mounted on said conduit to cause rapidrotation of said strainer, means for supplying fluid under pressure tosaid orifice and to the passage in said conduit, and a pumpcommunicating with the passage in said conduit for supply solventsolution to said passage, said pump comprising a body having aboretherein, a plunger reciproca- -ble in saidbore, and means for movingsaid

